Side by side
John 2
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Between scenesVerses 1 to 12
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” 4“Woman, why does this concern us?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” 6Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons. 7Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. 8“Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, “Everyone serves the fine wine first, and then the cheap wine after the guests are drunk. But you have saved the fine wine until now!” 11Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. 12After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.
Scene 1: A MarketplaceVerses 13 to 14
It was almost time for Passover. Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
In the temple courts, he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves. Money changers sat at their tables. Money changers traded one kind of coin for another.
Visitors needed animals for sacrifices. They also needed the right coins to pay the temple tax. So business was going on right inside the temple courts.
13When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables.
Scene 2: A Whip of CordsVerses 15 to 16
Jesus made a whip out of cords. A cord is a thin rope.
He drove everyone out of the temple courts, with the sheep and cattle.
He poured out the money changers' coins and turned over their tables.
To the people selling doves, he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father's house into a marketplace!" (2:16).
Jesus called the temple "My Father's house" (2:16). He was saying that God is his Father.
15So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Scene 3: The Disciples RememberVerse 17
Jesus's disciples watched. They remembered words from Scripture: "Zeal for Your house will consume Me" (2:17).
These words come from Psalm 69. Zeal means a strong, burning love for something. To consume means to burn up. Jesus loved his Father's house with a love that would cost him everything.
17His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”
Scene 4: "What Sign?"Verses 18 to 20
The temple leaders were not pleased. "What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?" they demanded (2:18). Authority means the right to do something.
Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again" (2:19).
The leaders thought he meant the stone building. "This temple took forty-six years to build," they said, "and You are going to raise it up in three days?" (2:20).
18On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?” 19Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” 20“This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?”
Scene 5: The Temple of His BodyVerses 21 to 22
But Jesus was not talking about the stone building.
"Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body" (2:21).
His enemies would destroy his body on a cross. Three days later, he would rise from the dead.
Nobody understood this at the time. But after Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture, and the words Jesus had spoken.
21But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body. 22After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Between scenesVerses 23 to 25
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
23While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name. 24But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all. 25He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.
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